Fuller found guilty of second-degree murder

Ottawa  A Franklin County jury Thursday found a Johnson County man guilty in the beating of an elderly couple, but the verdicts weren't what prosecutors had sought.

Raymond Fuller was found guilty of two counts of attempted second-degree murder and one count of aggravated burglary.

Fuller, 24, had initially been charged with first-degree murder in the November 1, 2000 fatal beating of Vivian Johnson, 85, rural Ottawa, and attempted first-degree murder in the beating of her husband, Howard Johnson, then 84.

The six-man, six-woman jury deliberated more than eight hours over two days before rendering their verdicts at 11:30 a.m. Thursday to Franklin County District Court Judge James Smith.

Fuller's alleged accomplice in the incident, Joseph Hayden, 18, also of Johnson County, goes on trial Tuesday. He also is charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and aggravated burglary.

Prior to the start of deliberations Wednesday morning, the jury was instructed on other, alternate charges they could consider in deciding Fuller's fate.

Among the evidence jurors had to consider was testimony from a Franklin County Sheriff's detective who said Fuller told him in two different interviews that Hayden killed Vivian Johnson.

In one interview Fuller said he stayed outside in his pickup truck while Hayden went inside. In another interview Fuller said he saw the shadow of Hayden beating Vivian Johnson.